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mjeck 
Group: Members
Posts: 37
Joined: Mar. 2013
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Posted on: Mar. 16 2013, 9:00 am |
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On a recommendation from the Cabela's salesman I bought a Katydyn water filtration system. He claimed it will give me good water anywhere except down stream from a farm or fertilizer plant. Truth or fiction? Should I still use tablets and/or boil the water? Also, I figure to use a gallon a day on my trips. Other than a camelback, I was figuring on carrying a two liter bottle with me. Am I being over cautious?
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rayestrella
Group: Members
Posts: 6411
Joined: Nov. 2004
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Posted on: Mar. 16 2013, 10:19 am |
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He is talking about chemicals and not much takes that out.
http://generalecology.com/category/portable
Those do. I keep one at home for use in emergencies.
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I measure happiness with an altimeter
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QCHIKER
Group: Members
Posts: 1728
Joined: Oct. 2009
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Posted on: Mar. 16 2013, 11:05 am |
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If you are out in the wild then the Katydn system will work fine for you at getting rid of girardia and other microorganisms. You won't need to boil it or use any chemical treatment.
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| Post Number: 4
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Ben2World
Group: Members
Posts: 23907
Joined: Jun. 2005
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Posted on: Mar. 16 2013, 1:11 pm |
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If you think of the millions of dollars spent on each municipal water treatment plants, you will know that any handheld filter will have limitations. So yes, read the instructions of even the best models -- and they will warn you to pick the best water source available -- and avoid water near farms, pastures, factories and mines.
For the typical backcountry water source here, there are five things to be concerned potentially:
1. viruses
2. bacteria
3. protozoa / cysts
4. sediments and stuff
5. water taste
Most quality filters will take care of #2-5. And your Katadyn is a good quality filter that will perform those four functions satisfactorily.
But what about viruses? Very few filters can filter out teeny tiny viruses. Luckily, viruses that are harmful to us humans are usually found where humans congregate -- not out in the wilds. So, excepting water at crowded campsites where someone infected had just used (and contaminated) the water right before your use -- viruses are usually NOT a concern.
Finally, if you are concerned about viruses -- say you do a lot of car camping at popular sites -- there are several options:
1. Return your filter and exchange for First Need Purifier -- sold at REI, online, and other stores.
2. Supplement the filtering by treating your water with chlorine (such as unscented household bleach) -- 5 drops per liter -- and wait 30 minutes before you drink. Chlorine will take care of the viruses -- and your filter will deal with all the rest.
3. Boil your water -- but this one takes time and fuel. And it's no fun waiting for water to cool on a hot, thirsty summer day.
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The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page. -- St. Augustine
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High_Sierra_Fan
Group: Members
Posts: 39516
Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Mar. 16 2013, 3:52 pm |
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The chemical anti-bacterial agents, the boiling and the filter all take care of the verysame things: pathogenic micro-organisms.
What the salesperson was pointing out is the excessive fertilizer and pesticide runoff downstream of various industrial activities is neither removed by a sizing filter like the Katydyn nor neutralized by anti-bacterial chemicals or boiling.
For that you'd need a more specialized water purifier which has the general disadvantage in that as they absorb the contaminants they get saturated and need to be replaced once their removal capacity has been reached at some interval depending on the concentration of contaminants in the water and, of course, the volume run through it.
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| Post Number: 7
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mjeck
Group: Members
Posts: 37
Joined: Mar. 2013
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Posted on: Mar. 16 2013, 4:55 pm |
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Should have stated that most of my overnighters will either be the AT or in the PA mountains, away from commercial campgrounds. The big trip is next year in the Rockies.
Thanks for all your replies!
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Soapboxpreacher
Group: Members
Posts: 5
Joined: Mar. 2013
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Posted on: Mar. 18 2013, 1:48 am |
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I grabbed a sawyer filter and will grab a steripen...i would think i am covered! I like the sawyer because it is small. And a steripen adventure opt becuase it works. Or you could do an msr hyderflow and a camelbak all clear bottle. Filter with one uv kill with the other.
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| Post Number: 9
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rayestrella
Group: Members
Posts: 6411
Joined: Nov. 2004
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Posted on: Mar. 18 2013, 8:32 am |
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Where he is going there is no need for both. If you filter there is no reason for UV treatment in US waters.
His question was about chemicals from farm run-off and plant discharge.
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I measure happiness with an altimeter
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Ben2World
Group: Members
Posts: 23907
Joined: Jun. 2005
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Posted on: Mar. 18 2013, 2:24 pm |
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(waterdog @ Mar. 18 2013, 11:21 am)
QUOTE
(Ben2World @ Mar. 18 2013, 11:02 am)
QUOTE The four things that your combo system can do:
1. Sawyer - clarifies water
2. Sawyer - blocks protozoa cysts
3. Sawyer - blocks bacteria
4. Steripen - treats viruses
The five things that a Steripen/FP combo can do:
1. FP - clarifies water
2. FP - improves water taste (with a carbon core)
3. FP - blocks protzoa cysts
4. Steripen - treats bacteria
5. Steripen - treats viruses I believe SteriPen also claims to destroy Giardia trophozoites and cysts.
Indeed it does. But in my illustration of combo uses above -- filtering first and then zapping with UV -- both filters will have blocked off protozoa cysts before UV zapping.
Notice how with the FP -- which has much bigger filter pore size -- it is the Steripen that is relied upon to treat bacteria.
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The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page. -- St. Augustine
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